Crescent Bay: The Luna's Adventure

As I trudged through the dense woods, my heart heavy with a mix of sadness and anger over Jacob and Charlotte's betrayal, the shadows of the trees mirrored my dark emotions.

My vision wavered for a moment from weakness, and I fell face down.

Turning to face the sky, a new flood of tears pooled in my eyes as memories of events that happened mere hours ago overwhelmed me.

The anticipation coursing through my bloodstream had left me giddy and restless.

Tonight, the night I had been waiting for for over a decade, arrived.

The moonlit clearing deep within the forest hosted a gathering-some as supporters and spectators, others as potential mates.

As a werewolf turns eighteen, they are all gathered on the ancestral ground for the moon goddess to help them choose their mate.

But in cases where two werewolves have a strong relationship, the moon goddess usually blesses their union. And tonight marked my official meeting with my friend Jacob.

Standing on my tiptoes, I scan the mass of nervous youths for a particular face.

Finally spotting her, I quickly pushed through the crowd to meet my best friend.

"Oh my God, Charlie! I have been looking for you the whole time. Where have you been?" I called out, making her jump.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned by her reaction. "I'm fine," Charlie replied, shoving her hands into the pocket of her jacket while averting her gaze away from me.

"Are you sure? Because you don't look fine to me. You literally jumped out of your skin when I called you," I pointed out, trying to make her smile.

"And I said, I am fine," she retorted, still maintaining her stony look.

"You know it's ok to be nervous. I mean, practically everyone here is."

"Will you just drop it already?" she snapped.

"You think everybody is like you. Well, guess what? I am not," she finished, while glaring at me.

The smile on my face froze at her outburst.

"Where is all this coming from?" All of a sudden, the chill in the air became more obvious, making me fold my arms around myself in a hug. "This is not about me, and you know it."

"And how do you know that? Huh," she snapped.

"Have you been avoiding me?"

She chuckled "Can you look at that? She thinks I'm avoiding her," she said sarcastically.

"I decide to get some alone time, and it turns out that I am avoiding you."

"Aren't you?" I insisted

"You know what? Just leave me alone," she said, turning away.

"Now, that is not fair. You can't throw that in my face and then push me away without explaining what is going on." I said, quickly moving to her side.

"Leave! Me! Alone!" she yelled in my face. Her face contorting in suppressed anger. "There is nothing to discuss. Just go; I need some space."

And with that, she stalked off, leaving me more confused than I have ever been in my life.

My head buzzed with all sorts of thoughts on what could have elicited such behavior from Charlie on a night like this.

My aunt Rachel walked past, looking rather pleased as she gave me one of those dirty looks.

What is she doing here?

She was one of the last people I expected to see here. Her being here meant my uncle was too. I narrowed my eyes at her and instantly swirled around to follow Charlotte, but a sudden clap stopped me.

A sound that drew my attention alongside that of others came from an elderly woman who stood in the middle of the clearing.

"Gather around, my dear Fateds." Said Martha, the clan's oracle. "I am sure we all know why you are gathered here today. I don't need to explain anything further." She said, her voice clear and serene, commanding attention.

"It's okay to be nervous. I was once like you, and I perfectly understand how most of you are feeling right now." She continued, her voice resonating as she walked around.

As I watched her speak, my excitement returned, making me temporarily forget my confusion.

I quickly edged my way forward to get a better view of her. "I must add, it's not everybody here that will get paired with their mates today. As you can see, some of you were part of last year's mating ceremony, and yet here they are again."

Noticing how some of the fated looked away, she added, "There is no need to be ashamed. I waited almost three turns before I was finally chosen. Man, you should have seen how excited I was," she said with a smile.

Then she paused, allowing the small chuckle that erupted from the crowd to subside. "As I was saying, some of you will have to wait a bit longer, unfortunately. Now with that in mind, let the ceremony begin." She finished.

Looking around like I was on top of the world, my eyes landed on Jacob, my mate. I knew within me that I was not one of those people who would have to wait another turn.

My eyes still on Jacob, I watched as he and the other male werewolves lined themselves up in preparation to step into the circle drawn by Martha, each with a moonstone like the ones we, their female counterparts, held.

As they took turns to enter the circle, the moonstone they held was supposed to glow once inside, alongside one of the others held by any of the females, allowing them to identify their mates.

But my resolve began to shake as I watched Jacob take some actions I did not understand.

He seemed to intentionally put himself at the back, allowing others to go before him.

Questions filled my mind.

Shaking my head a little, I scattered the thoughts of doubt that assaulted me as a possible reason for his action came to mind.

I watched as he murmured to those around him, probably giving them some encouragement as the tension on most of their faces eased a little.

He probably wanted to use this moment to fraternize a little and build his influence as the future alpha of the pack.

Why would I have to leave here without him as my official mate after all we've been through together? A number of answers came to mind, but I quickly smothered them out.

This is not the time to entertain such thoughts.

After a few hours that seemed to be an eternity passed, with some werewolves getting mates while others left with none, it finally reached Jacob's turn.

Immediately he stepped into the circle, the moonstone in his hand and the circle around him glowed pure white.

The moonstone in my hand also glowed, resonating with his. Relief washed over me, and my stiff muscles quickly became relaxed.

The glowing of the moonstones solidified everything. I released the breath I didn't know I held as it got to his turn. I was worried for nothing.

Fueled with passion and love, I bolted out of the crowd towards him.

"Stop!" a voice I did not recognize commanded, surprising me.

After a short pause, Jacob, who had his back to me, turned to face me.

His whole body was stiff, and his dark head was bowed. For the second time that night, I was utterly baffled.

Raising his head, Jacob's pupils glowed red, making him look otherworldly and dangerous. "I reject you as my mate," he declared with the same voice that sent shivers down my spine.

The shock momentarily rendered me speechless as I stared into his face, devoid of emotion.

The commotion caused by his rejection barely registered, as my heart, which had practically stopped earlier, was now thundering like never before.

It can't be.

"I reject you as my mate," echoed Jacob's words in my mind, refusing to be accepted.

It took a full minute to regain control, clinging to the hope of a logical explanation. Forcing my face into a smile, I tried to lighten the mood.

"You must be joking, right? I mean, I understand you might be nervous or scared, which is uncommon among our kind, but you know I am with you on this, right?"

He laughed at my words: "What the hell are you talking about? Well, if that is the way you feel, then suit yourself, but never say before my pack that I am scared or nervous again!" he stated.

"You probably didn't hear me properly earlier; well, let me oblige you." He continued, "You can never, I mean never, be my mate!" He declared.

"Jacob!" I cried as his words tore me apart. It was too painful. A chill ran down my spine as I looked into his crimson, glowing eyes.

This was not the eyes of my lover when I left his house this morning. Jacob was a different person tonight.

"Hey Jacob, What do you think you are doing?" someone asked

"Yeah, Jacob, what is going on here? If I didn't know you guys were a couple, I could have been fooled." My uncle Paul said as he walked out of the crowd, stunning me and making me momentarily forget what was happening around me.

Why is he standing up for me?

"Exactly what do you think is going on, old man."

Jacob sneered Paul's fist connected with Jacob's face, making him stumble back, earning a gasp from the crowd around us.

For a second, he looked like he was about to launch an attack of his own, but then he straightened and walked out of the circle away from Paul.

"Is it so hard to believe that I want to have nothing to do with Tasha anymore?" he yelled.

His words drawing me back to the painful reality. My knees were too shaky to hold me up; they gave way, and I fell to the ground.

What is going on with him? What have I done to deserve this? Why? I muttered beneath my breath.

"Why?" I wailed, raising my head, "Why now? Why are you doing this to me?"

"You want to know why? Well, here is why!" "You are not good enough!"

My whole body stiffened as my muscles tightened. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what you heard." He snorted. All of a sudden to me, he looked as vicious as any feral beast on the plough, looking for blood. Only this time, he was not only out for blood but also hearts.

I was mad.

"If you thought I was not good enough, why did you lead me on right to this moment? Why didn't you say anything or simply just send me away?" I yelled, grinding my teeth, my once-stationary muscles quivering with unsuppressed rage.

"That is because I felt sorry for you. C'mon, you looked so pitiful and needy that I just couldn't bring myself to hurt you. What with your family issues and your emotional state?" He said without regard, as if talking about the weather.

He spoke with barely any emotion.

"And you felt now was the right time to do all this? Especially before all these people!"

I can't believe I actually spent all this time without knowing this other side of him.

"That is because I have had enough of you. I mean, if I didn't do what I did, we would have to spend the rest of our lives together, which obviously is a no-no for me," he said, shaking his head to emphasize his point.

"But why?" I asked for the umpteenth. "What is wrong with spending the rest of your goddamn life with me?"

His eyebrows shot up as his lips curled up in a half-smile. "Look at you; do you think you are fit to be an alpha's mate?" He asked, moving closer. "Yes, you might have special gifts and talents that put you ahead of most, but for how long?"

His words made me flinch as I took a step back to put some distance between us.

My arms went up automatically around me to shield myself from the pain he was wrecking in me.

"You can barely control yourself, you are always all over the place, and I really doubt you can handle any responsibility that comes with being an alpha's mate." He turned in the opposite direction to walk away, obviously done. Leaving me in anguish.

"You know what I think-you are a fucking liar!" I yelled.

He stopped in his tracks. "You think I am lying; alright, I will show you proof," he declared. "Charlotte, darling, come over here." He called.

And as the crowd parted to reveal my Charlotte, I was flabbergasted. What has she got to do with this? As she walked forward, a million thoughts raced through my head.

Then she walked into Jacob's embrace, and shared a passionate kiss with him. It felt like my gut was punched as I doubled over, stumbling back a bit.

What just happened?

My best friend and my lover were having an affair that I wasn't aware of.

Ancestors! Was I so blinded by my love for him? This perfectly explains why she behaved the way she did.

When I looked up again, they were both watching me as if trying to gauge my reaction.

Slowly, the shock and disbelief gradually gave way to something more feral; powerful heat rushed through my veins, reaching my very core.

Before I could stop myself, I was already in front of them.

Throwing out a clawed fist at Charlotte, but Jacob was faster.

He stopped my hand inches away from her face.

Seeing how close she was to being scared for life, she backed away in fright, earning a gasp from the onlookers.

"You bitch!" I roared

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Jacob roared as his grip tightened on my hand.

"Let go of me."

"Or what?" he snapped, intensifying his grip.

Glancing at Charlotte, who stood behind him, wicked thoughts of revenge flooded my mind.

The added pressure from Jacob's death grip forced me to face him. Swiftly, I knocked his hand off with my left, and before he could compose himself, I took a fistful of his shirt, lifting him up and slamming him back to the ground.

Swirling back to face the traitor, I prepared to lung for her, but Jacob caught my foot, dragging me to the ground.

Struggling, I tried kicking him off, but at lightning speed, he took hold of both my legs, and pulled me closer until he successfully had me pinned under his weight.

"One more move, and I promise to end you here before whatever lies ahead of you has the chance to." He warned, his clawed hand poised to strike as he tried to catch his breath.

I was faring no better than him, as my own breaths came in short. My heart thundered so loudly in my ear that I was sure he could hear it too.

Under his superior weight, my struggles seized as the need to attack Charlotte slowly seeped away, not because of the threat but mainly because the adrenaline that propelled me had dissipated, leaving me weary.

What did he mean by what lay ahead of me?

"Get off me!" I muttered, but he wouldn't budge.

At his hesitation, I stared straight at him as if to will him away, but he remained as he was. His steady gaze, which had been on my face all this while, moved to my hands, which were clenched in a fist.

That was when I caught sight of the blood dripping from my palm, where my claws were embedded in it.

Unclenching my fists, I retracted my claws, realizing to my surprise that I had hurt myself without knowing it, but who wouldn't have in my current situation?

Sure that I would not try to make a scene again, he slowly got off me and backed away. Towards Charlotte. The simple gesture tried to reel up the beast in me, but I quickly tamed it down.

"So she is the one you deem fit to be your perfect mate," I snarled. "You should have said from the onset that you wanted Charlotte instead of making petty jabs at me."

"Those were not mere jabs I made but mainly my observations," Jacob replied almost sagely. It seemed as if Charlotte was about to say something, but my glare silenced her.

"Lucky you then." I jeered, "Now you have gotten someone who is not as flawed as I am." I turned to leave but stopped.

"You know what? Fuck you, Jacob! And you too, Charlotte! I thought you were my friend."

Whirling around before they could see the tears that threatened to fall, I raced into the woods.

The sudden call of a distant wolf brought me out of my reverie. Blinking my tears away, I looked around forcing myself up. It is not safe out here.

***

Embarrassment churned within me as I reflected on the disastrous events that happened on the sacred grounds for the first time.

Tonight was supposed to be the happiest night of my life, but it seemed fate had other plans for me.

Lying on my bed, facing the white ceiling, I couldn't help but feel stupid and betrayed by my best friend. I tried shutting my eyes, hoping I could get some sleep.

Probably when I wake up, all this will just be a bad dream, but as hard as I tried, it proved futile.

Sitting up, I absorbed my disheveled room. I had practically turned the whole place upside down the moment I stumbled into the room, blind with grief and anger.

Pushing my hair out of my face, I hauled myself up to start picking up the clothes I had scattered around.

The front door slammed shut.

My uncle Paul and his wife, Rachel, must be back. Their voices were loud enough for me to hear their conversation even through the thick barrier of a door that stood between us, suggesting a heated conversation.

I must have been too distracted with my thoughts to have missed them till they got to the door.

Walking up to the door, I placed an ear close.

"I can't believe you could say such a thing about our niece!" Paul choked, barely able to control the anger in his voice.

"Mind you, she is not my niece, but your niece!" Rachel snapped, her voice dripping with spite.

"Regardless of what you think of Rachel, as long as she is mine, she is yours too!"

"In what sense?" her shrill voice called back.

"In case you have forgotten, we are mated," he bellowed. "For life." Her snort and the slamming door indicated her departure, presumably to her room.

My uncle hardly ever raises his voice in that manner.

So I'm guessing she must have said something really awful to get him ticked off like that.

Am I sure the whole issue must be centered on me after what happened earlier? What else could it be?

For a long time, I have always wondered what I must have done for my aunt to hate me the way she does, but right now, that was the least of my concerns as footsteps approached my door.

I could tell it was my uncle's from the way each step was measured. He always carried himself in a way that reflected in his steps, and for someone like me who sometimes awaited or dreaded those steps, it was easy to tell.

Stopping in front of my door, he seemed to hesitate, but he walked away.

I shut my eyes and opened them again. What was that about? I thought I could finally escape all this, but here I am, preparing to go through a life that was supposed to end tonight.

My eyes teared up, but I shook my head, refusing to cry.

Enough with the tears.

With my back against the door, I decided not to shed a tear over this issue or because of anyone again.

Taking a deep breath, I leaned my head against the door. For a long time, I have been preparing for this particular night, but now that everything has gone sideways, what now?